Range with front-serviceable backsplasher



June 26, 1962 e. R. SHERMAN I 3,04

RANGE WITH FRONT-SERVICEABLE BACKSPLASHER Filed Feb. 9, 1960 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGE R. SHERMAN HIS ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 G. R. SHERMAN 3,040,733

RANGE WITH FRONT-SERVICEABLE BACKSPLASHER Filed Feb. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEORGE R. SHERMAN BY W z 624a;

H )5 ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 G. R. SHERMAN- 3,040,733

RANGE WITH FRONT-SERVICEABLE BACKSPLASHER Filed Feb. 9, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.4

INVEN TOR. GEORGE R. SHERMAN BY flit-1.455 311;

H l S ATTORNEY Patented June 26, 1962 The present invention relates to a range, either electric or gas with a novel backsplasher design for ease in servicing the range from the front without moving the range away from the wall. Front servicing is advantageous to the serviceman because all components are in open view which provide ample working space for testing and replacement of the components.

This invention is particularly concerned with hinge means for the backsplasher. Hinged backsplashers are known in the prior art but they are usually provided with a removable back cover for gaining access to the interior thereof. Each year more and more controls are being added to the deluxe ranges for obtaining automatic temperature control of the heating elements in the cooktop as well as the heating elements of the oven. Many such automatic controls include indicator dials which. are

mounted on the shaft of the controlling units and are covered with a shield so that only a portion of the dial may be read at any one time. The introduction of such automatic controls and dials has complicated the construction of the backsplasher and in some instances has increased the difiiculty of servicing the range.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a range with a hinged backsplasher that may be folded down over the cooktop while it is stored in its ship-' ping carton, and may be opened up for servicing by merely pivoting the several segments of the backsplasher into convenient positions for testing and repairing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a range with a triple-hinged backsplasher that has a hinge means that is common to all pivoted portions of the backsplasher for ease in servicing the range from the front.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a backsplasher with a front crystal that is easy to clean by recessing the shafts of the control components so that once the control knobs are removed the crystal is unobstructed.

A range embodying the present invention will have a backsplasher arranged across the back of the cooktop. For ease in shipping the range so as to obtain the most :compact design so that the maximum number of ranges may be loaded into a railway box car, the entire backsplasher is folded down over the cooktop to lie in a horizontal position before it is placed in its shipping carton. Once the range is unpacked the backsplasher will be raised to its vertical position and fastened in place.

.The backsplasher includes three pivoted portions: a back cover plate, an instrument mounting panel or bracket for supporting the various controls for the heating units on the surface of the cooktop as well as in the oven, and finally a front trim frame for supporting a large crystal over the face of the instrument panel. The backsplasher incorporates a pair of hinge means which are common to all three portions of the backsplasher.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a free standing electric range embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the back portion of the range showing the backsplasher with a series of four multiple pushbutton switches mounted on the top surface stats for controlling the ovens 14 and 15.

supported on each FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view similar to that of FIGURE 3 showing the front crystal frame in its open position and an instantaneous View of the instrument panel moving away from the back cover plate so that the switches, thermostats, and other control components mounted on the instrument panel may be serviced from the front-of the range.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the multiple hinges for pivoting either the entire backsplasher or only the instrument panel and the front crystalv frame in order to obtain the advantages of frontserviceability as well as a compact design for shipment.

Turning now to the drawings and in particular to FIG- URE 1 there is shown an electric range 10 comprising a cabinet or body 11 having a cooktop 12 supporting four surface heating units 13. Below the cooktop are ovens 14 and 15 which are closed by drop doors 16 and 17 respectively. The largest oven 15 has a door 17 with a glass window 18 for inspection of the food while it is being cooked. Below each oven is a drawer 19 and 20 for the storage of pots and pans and other cooking utensils.

Across the back edge of'the cooktop 12 is formed the backsplasher 21 which embodies the present invention. The purpose of the backsplasher, of course, is to support and enclose the various switches, thermostats, transformfour surface heating elements 13 are controlled by a series of four multiple pushbutton switches tioned on the top and at the right side of the backsplasher. Several openings are shown in the front of the backsplash. The openings 23 at the right side are access openings for receiving the knobs of the switches and thermo- The openings 24 at the left side of the backsplash accommodate the various knobs of a clock and timer. The backsplasher 21 is supported on a pair of pedestals 25 that are disposed one at each side of the cooktop. Each pedestal 25 is a hollow stationary member through which lead wires (not shown) are fed for connecting the heating elements with their control switches and thermostats.

A better understanding of the backsplasher may be had by studying FIGURE 4 and comparing it with the fragmentary perspective view of FIG. 5. The backsplasher may be considered as being divided into three parts. There is a back cover plate 30, an instrument panel 31 and finally a front crystal frame or trim frame 32 which shields the instrument panel. The back cover plate 30 is supported between a pair of posts 33 which represent extensions of the pedestals 25. A multiple hinge 34 is pedestal 25 and is connected to each of the three panels of the backsplasher. the hinge is bolted to the top front side of the pedestal 25 to serve as a connection between the backsplasher and the rangebody. A similar leaf 36 is positioned beside the leaf 35 for connection to the post 33 of the back cover plate 30. The instrument panel 31 is likewise connected to the hinge means 34 by means of a leaf 3-7. Finally, the front crystal frame 32 is connected to the hinge by means of leaf 38 that has a series of 3 pin receiving sections 39, 40 and 41. A common hinge pin 42 extends through all of the leaves of each hinge means 34.

22 which are posi- One leaf 35 of 1 side of the pivot pin.

, range of this size, and will The fixed leaf 3-5 and the leaf 36 for the post of the back cover plate are disposed on one side of the pivotpin 42 while the leaves 37 and'38 of the instrument panel and crystal frame respectively are disposed on the opposite Looking now at FIGURE 3 a sheet metal screw 45 is shown at the lower edge of the back coverplate 30 for securing the supporting post 33 to the pedestal 25. When this screw 45 and the similar one on the other side of the backsplash is removed the entire backsplash 21 may be folded ,down about the axis of the pivot pin 42 until it assumes the horizontal position shown in dotted lines inYFIGURE 3. A cardboard block or cushion 46 is also shown in dotted lines resting on the cooktop 12 so that the backsplasher bears on the'cushion While the range is sealed in its shipping carton.

In order to separate the instrument panel 31 and crystal frame 32 from the back cover plate 30', the backsplasher is first supported in the vertical position and secured by screws 45 as shown in full lines in FIGURE 3, Next as shown in FIGURE 4 the top screws 47 and the front screws 48 are removed so that both the instrument panel 31 and the frame 32 may be folded down onto the cooktop. The crystal frame 32 may be separated from the instrument panel by removing the screws 49 that extend through the back of the panel 31 and into the frame.

There is a large fiat crystal 50 that is confined within the frame 32 when the frame is fastened to the instrument panel 31. V

The instrument panel 31 not only supports thermostats and switches 51' but it also carries the multiple pushbutton switches 22 in a top extension 53. Moreover a 'pair offluorescent lamp holders 54 are fastened to the panel so that a fluorescent lamp may extend nearly the complete length of the backsplasher. The crystal frame 32includes a housing or reflector 55 for enclosing the fluorescent lamp so that the lamp is recessed within the backsplasher as is best seen in FIGURE 3. The crystal 50 is coated on the back side with a ceramic paint or like material to form an opaque decorative trimming 56 and 57 of FIGURE 1 so that only a'portion of the front 7 surface of the instrument panel 31 can be seen from the frontof the range. It should be understood that the control knobs 58- and 59- have cylindrical extensions 58' and 59 respectively and are slipped through the openings 23 and 24 in the crystal and then onto the shafts of the switches and thermostats mounted-ontheinstrument panel as seen in FIGURE 3, and that these knobs must be pulled 01f before the instrument panel 51 can be separated fromthe crystal frame 32. Hence, it is an easy matter to clean the crystal with a damp cloth since the tips of the shafts of the switches and other components are positioned behind the crystal as is understood by referring to the panel 31 in FIGURE 4 and remembering that the panel 31 is spaced back from the crystai 50 whenthey stand'upright in the normal use position as seen in'FIGURE 3.

Having described above my invention of a novel backsplash design which may be serviced from the front it will readily be apparent to those skilled in this art that i I have devised a design which is both pleasing in appearaction of the backsplasher of this invention for facilitating the ease of gaining access to the'coniponents and replacing them when necessary. 7

Modifications of this inventionwill occur to those skilled in this art and it is to be understood therefore, that this invention is not-limited to the particular emappreciate the unique pivotal Y ranged adjacent the rear of the cooktop,

bodiment disclosed but that it is intended to cover all modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of this invention as claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an electric range including a body having a cooktop, a front-serviceable backsplasher structure arthe backsplasher comprising a back cover plate, an instrument panel fastened to the cover plate, and a crystal frame fastened over the instrument panel, anda multiple hinge means common to the three portions of the backsplasher and supported from the range body, so that the entire backsplashcr may be folded down over the cooktop, or only the instrument panel and the crystal frame may be folded down, or alternatively only the crystal frame may be located in its folded down position.

2. A front-serviceable backsplasher structure in a range having a body with a counter. height cooktop, the backsplasher being arranged adjacent the rear of the cooktop, the backsplasher being divided into at least three portions, a back cover plate, an instrument panel fastened to the cover plate, and a crystal frame fastened over the instrument panel, and multiple hinge means fixed to the range body for supporting the three portions of the backsplasher so that both the instrument panel and the crystal frame may be folded down, or alternately only the crystal frame may be located in its folded down po sition over the cooktop, structure may be folded down so as to reduce the overall height-of the range for shipping purposes.

3. A front-serviceable backsplasher for a range as recited in claim 2 wherein the crystal frame supports a large crystal that extends for nearly the entire width of the range, the crystal including apertures aligned with shafts of instruments mounted on the instrument panel, and control knobs having extensions which extend loosely through the apertures for mounting on the said shafts, the front surface of the crystal being free of obstructions when the knobs are removed.

4.. In a cooking range having a body with a cooktop at table height, a front-serviceable backsplasher structure arranged on pedestals adjacent the rear of the cooktop, one pedestal being located at each side of the range, hinge means supported on the top ofeach pedestal, each hinge means comprising multiple leaves, the backsplasher being divided into three pivoted sections that arehinged to the pedestals by the said hinge means, the three portions of the backsplasher being the back cover plate, an instrument panel for supporting various heat controlling means, and a crystal frame positioned over the instrument panel, whereby the entire backsplasher structure may be folded down over the cooktop for shipping purposes, or the instrument panel and crystal frame may be folded down for servicing the range Without'the range having to be moved, or finally folding down only the crystal frame may be located in its folded down-position.

5; In a range as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one leaf of each hinge means is permanently fastened to the top portion of the adiacent pedestal, a second leaf of each hinge being fastened to the back cover plate while the leaf for the crystal'frame has several pin receiving sections which are disposed between and on each side of the two aforementioned leaves of the pedestal and the back cover, and finally a hinge leaf fastened to the instrument panel and being supported on a common pin extending through all of the leaves.

-6. In a cooking range as recited in claim 4, wherein the'cover plate is fastened to the range body, the instrument panel is fastened to the cover plate and the crystal frame is fastened to the instrument panel although both the instrument panel and the crystal frame must be folded down over the cooking top before the crystal frame may be unfastened from the instrument panel; 1

(References on following page) or finally the entire backsplash- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Searing Apr. 21, 1891 Farver Sept. 11, 1923 5 MacInnes Jan. 7, 1930 Farver Apr. 1, 1930 Reedy Aug. -12, 1930 Mears Apr. 7, 1931 6 Hadley et a1 June 13, 1939 Lockwood Aug. 6, 1940; Dadson Nov. 16, 1948 Sandin et a1. Sept. 2, 1952 Denlinger Sept. 2, 1958 Reeves Dec. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 16, 1909 

